We’ve talked a little bit before about BMI and what it is. BMI stands for body mass index and it is used as one tool to help you evaluate your weight. Using your BMI alone isn’t enough (the image below helps explain why) to determine whether you’re overweight, underweight, obese, or just right, but it is a good thing to know.If you’ve ever wondered how to calculate your BMI, go no further! Today I thought I’d explain how to do it manually, but also point you to a site that does the calculation for you.

There are two important measurements involved to do the calculation, weight and height. Therefore you’ll need to know your weight in pounds, and your height in inches. Once you have those two numbers, follow the steps below.

Manually Calculate Your BMI

1. Multiply your weight in pounds by 703 (example: 136lb x 703 = 95,608)
2. Multiply your height in inches by your height in inches (example: 5′4″ = 64inches so I’ll multiply 64×64 which equals 4,096)
3. Divide the number in step one by the number in step two (example: 95,608/4096 = 23.3)

Now I know that my BMI is 23.3

So what does that number mean? Lets take a look at the BMI categories to determine this:

• Underweight = BMI of less than 18.5
• Normal weight = BMI of 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = BMI of 25-29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
• Morbidly Obese = BMI of 40 or greater

So for a person that’s 5′4″ and weighs 136 pounds, they fall under the “normal weight” category. Aside from BMI, you’ll also want to get a measure of your waist which also helps to determine your overall health. We talked about that here, so feel free to reference it to determine if your waist size combined with your BMI means that you’re at a healthy weight.

Calculate your BMI with an Online Calculator

If you’d like to use an online calculator to determine your BMI instead of manually doing the math, you can find a BMI calculator here.

We all have to run errands every week whether it be to the grocery store, the post office, Target, Wal-Mart, or anywhere else.  There are always places to go and things that need to get done! If you’re having a hard time getting some activity incorporated into your day, try “Errand Energizers” – simple ways to keep active while you’re doing your errands.  Today’s tips come from The Anytime, Anywhere Exercise Book by Joan Price and Lawrence Kassman.  It’s a great little book with 300+ quick exercises that you can do no matter where you are or what you’re doing! You can find it at most book stores for anywhere between $5 and $15 dollars.

–Errand Energizers–

• Park and Walk – You’ve heard this one before, I’m sure.  Don’t waste your time making laps around the parking lot looking for the closest spot. Park as far away from the store as possible and you’ll get a nice walk both to the store and back to your car.  You can even pick up the pace a bit for a brisk walk.
• Tighten those abs – Give your abs a workout as you walk around the store. Joan Price’s suggestion is this: “Do isometric abdominal intervals anytime, anywhere you stand or sit.  Contract your abs six times slowly (6 second repetition), then six times quickly (2- second rep), then six time super-slowly (10 second rep), and repeat.
• Squeeze those cheeks – Just like you can tighten those abs, you can also tighten your butt! While you’re standing in line somewhere, or sitting waiting for an appointment, squeeze your cheeks repeatedly (of course if no one is watching!).
• Ditch the drive-thru - I’m not talking about drive-thru windows at fast food restaurants because those should largely be avoided no matter what. I’m talking about the drive-thru at the bank. Instead of pulling up to the window to do your banking, park the car and walk inside to burn a few calories.
• Mall Milers – I remember my first trip to Mall of America in Minnesota where I saw groups of women briskly walking the hallways. I thought it was a great idea, only to realize that this was an actual group called Mall Milers! Many malls have such programs, and in the winter months, this is the perfect way to get your walking in.

Eating right and exercising doesn’t have to be hard! There are so many simple things that we can do that may seem small, but every change for the better helps!! Here are a few diet and exercise tips that are easy to do, and should be very simple to incorporate into your lifestyle:

Diet Tips

• Pass on the dinner roll or bread when you eat out
• If you must eat fries, get the small order instead of the large
• Hold the cheese on your sandwich and opt for extra veggies
• Use one tablespoon of peanut butter instead of two

Exercise Tips

• Take your dog for a 30 minute walk instead of letting him out in the backyard
• Do an extra 25 minutes of cardio exercise one day a week
• Climb stairs in your house or lift dumbbells during the commercials of your favorite TV show.
• Add five minutes of jogging during your walk

And remember “Good and bad things happen in life, but what matters, what defines us, is how we handle them.” If you’ve labeled your struggle to lose weight and get healthy as a “bad thing” in your life, think about how you’re handling the struggle and what you’re doing to turn that “bad” thing into a “good” thing. A positive “I can do it” attitude can make all the difference!

I don’t know about you, but when I exercise, I need to be watching or listening to something. At the gym that I go to, there are personal TVs attached to all of the cardio equipment which is super nice because then there are around 70 channels and I get to choose what I want to watch. I find that if I can find a show to really get into, the time flies by and it makes exercising seem like less of a chore (and yes, for me, it’ll probably always be a chore!). Usually I watch the news, The Travel Channel, or some classic rerun of Fresh Prince or Everybody Loves Raymond, but lately I’ve gotten into watching something else…

Music Videos! I’ve never been one to sit and watch music videos, but I’m telling you, my workouts fly by when I watch them.  Maybe because there’s some great music playing and something to watch at the same time? I find that it’s so easy to get caught up in video after video, and before I know it, I’m done and I’ve gotten a great workout.

I also found that I’m not the only one that has realized the greatness of watching music videos! A recent article over at the Ultimate Fitness Blog for Women’s Health magazine discussed the same thing – “Exorexic and it’s all Justin’s fault.” The author talked about how she got caught up in Justin Timberlake music videos while she was working out and how the time just flew by – and I could totally relate! She also had a great idea for giving yourself a more intense workout.  You know how they say that it’s not necessarily how long you exercise but the intensity that you do it at? So as you’re watching music videos, up the intensity after each one so that you’ll burn more fat. Nice, huh?

Next time you exercise whether it be in your own living room or at the gym, try watching music videos on a channel like VH1, MTV, or even the Country Music Channel. It may not work for everybody, but for me, watching music videos while I exercise is my new favorite thing!